Students in the White County Middle School LEGO League Club have been working hard to prepare for the FIRST LEGO League Regional Competition, on Dec. 15, 2018, taking place in Oak Ridge. The STEM competition is tri-fold: (1) the team must research and present about a problem that astronauts face in long-term space exploration and propose a unique solution; (2) build and code a series of challenge missions using a LEGO Mindstorms robot; and (3) reflect core values such as teamwork, innovation, and professionalism.

One of the school’s teams, the Galaxy Warriors, researched the physical effects that long-term space exploration has on astronauts’ bodies. They found that muscle atrophy is a common problem because of the microgravity of space, so the team created a prototype of an exercise app with sample exercises for core muscle groups and an exercise and water intake log. The other WCMS team, the Guardians of the Legos, researched the psychological effects of long-term space exploration. They discovered that the altered sleep patterns and tight confinement of the space station can lead to mild depression and feelings of homesickness and loneliness. This team developed a prototype of an app that includes coping mechanisms such as the grounding technique, vlogging, and a playlist of songs that are scientifically proven to improve mood.

Over 35,500 teams will participate in this event worldwide, but these are the first teams to represent White County. The teams would like to thank the following businesses as generous sponsors: J.A. Sergio & Sons Construction, Calfkiller Coffee, Payless Family Pharmacy, Charles Bailey Trucking, THK Rhythm, and TVA.